Origin

Middle English: from Middle Dutchkitte 'wooden vessel', of unknown origin. The original sense 'wooden tub' was later applied to other containers; the use denoting a soldier's equipment (late 18th century) probably arose from the idea of a set of articles packed in a container.

If you were told in the Middle Ages to get your kit off it would be a wooden tub you removed, not your clothes. Kit comes from Dutch kitte, meaning ‘wooden vessel’, later applied to other containers. Its use for a soldier's equipment, dating from the late 18th century, probably comes from the idea of a set of such articles packed in one container. See also caboodle

Origin

If you were told in the Middle Ages to get your kit off it would be a wooden tub you removed, not your clothes. Kit comes from Dutch kitte, meaning ‘wooden vessel’, later applied to other containers. Its use for a soldier's equipment, dating from the late 18th century, probably comes from the idea of a set of such articles packed in one container. See also caboodle